Prepayment electricity-meter.



G. HOOKHAM & S. H. HOLDEN.

PREPAYMENT ELECTRICITY METER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1a, 1908.

907,149. Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Giblmt:

W 'OCM.

SZWMXJT G. HOOKH-AM & S/H. HOLDEN. PREPAYMENT ELECTRICITY METER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18, 1903. 907,149, Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1: am! I UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFTQE,

GEORGE HOOKHAM AND SYDNEY HOLMWOOD HOLDEN, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

PREPAYMENT ELECTRICITY-ME TEE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE HooKHAM and SYDNEY Homrwoon HOLDEN, subjects of the King of Great Britain and lreland, and residing at 4 New Bartholomew street, Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Prepayment Electricity- Meters, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to prepayment meters and especially to electricity prepayment meters in which the operation of giving and cutting off the supply is effected through the medium of checks which become available one at a time upon the insertion of a coin. In such meters as heretofore, constructed the checks fall into a receptacle after prepaying electricity and have to be replaced by hand before being again available to prepay electricity. According to our invention we employ a smaller number of checks which can therefore be of larger size than heretofore and instead of allowing them to fall into a drawer and then replacing them by hand into the check reservoir, we now lift them automatically from the receptacle into which they fall (and which may have the form of an inclined trough) and place them in the movable beam as required. The operation of removing a check from the receptacle and placing it in the beam being performed each time a coin is inserted. It is effected through the medium of a movable pocket or lift actuated by hand and whose movement is only possible after the insertion of a coin.

Our invention further comprises a modification in the escapement and beam enabling the former to remain stationary while the latter is moved the escapement bein for this purpose fixed beyond the end of the moving beam.

Our invention further comprises means for rendering visible the position of the checks in the beams so as to indicate when it is necessary to insert more coins.

deferring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a front elevation of the prepayment mechanism of an electricity meter; Fig. 2 shows a side view of the movable beam and escapement mechanism and of the coin receiving mechanism; Fig. 3 shows a front elevation of the coin receiving mechanism in position to receive a coin, Fig. 4 being the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 18, 1908.

Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

Serial No. 442420 same in position at the time when a check is being passed into the movable beam.

In the form of our invention illustrated we provide a movable beam, a, pivoted at b. This beam is provided at one end with contact makers, 0, adapted when the beam is de pressed by the presence of checks to dip in mercury cups, (Z, and close the main circuit of the meter thus beginning the supply of electricity to the consumer. The beam, a, is made hollow to receive checks and is weighted by the adjustable counterbalance, c, so that if no checks are present in the beam the main circuit of the meter is interrupted. Below the beam is provided the check reservoir, f, consisting of an inclined trough in which the checks, g, which preferably consist of spheres of uniform size, rest. The first of these checks rests in the pocket, 7L, attached to an arm, it, which being pivoted at Z, is provided with a rack, on, engaging with a pinion, n, on the shaft, 0, which is turned by hand by means of the milled nut, 19. The reservoir and arm, 75, are provided with guards, f, 70, to prevent the checks from falling from the pocket, 71-, or running out of the reservoir, 1'.

Coin receiving mechanism is provided (see Figs. 2, S and i) consisting of a slot in the casing of the meter, a cylinder, 7, having slots formed therein, the upper one of which is brought directly underneath the slot in the casing by means of cam and lever mechanism on the hand operated shaft, 0, when the pocket, 7, on the arm, is, is in position to take up a check from the reservoir, The coin being inserted falls into the casing, s, which does not revolve with the cylinder, 9, and rests upon the bottom of the cylinder, (see Fig. 3) until the shaft, 0, being turned by the operator the lower slot in the cylinder comes opposite the casing, s, and allows the coin to fall into the second casing, 62, where it is held by springs until it is forced out into a receptacle (not shown) by the arm, t, which being cam operated by the shaft, 0, moves in a slot, 2, in the casing s. The arm, t, in pressing against the top edge of the coin pushes the casing, s, which is pivoted on a shaft, o, into the position shown in Fig. 4 and thus lifts a catch, 10, on the shaft, 12, out of its normal position, held by a weight, :0, of engagement with a catch, a, on the shaft, 0, and thus allows the shaft, 0, to be further revolved, and, by raising the pocket, h, on the arm, f, into a some position opposite the end, I) of the movable saidcheclrs, controlling the prepaid sup: arm, a, to pass a check into the latter. If 1 ply, said means including a check carrying the shaft, 0, is turned without a coin being inserted the arm, t, passes through the slot, 2, without moving the casing s, and consequently the catches w and u, on the shafts, v, and 0, engage and prevent the further rotation of 0, and the passing of a check into the movable beam, a. The cylinder, 1", is provided with an arm, y, which passes through the slot, 2, in the casing, s, when the cylinder, 1, is moved from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 3. Should an attempt be made to insert another coin while a previously inserted coin is still inside the casing, s, the arm, y, coming into contact with the coin prevents the revolution of the cylinder, 1", into the position of Fig. 3 and thus prevents the insertion of another coin. Stops, a, secured to the casing of the meter are provided on either side of the lever actuating the cylinder, 1, to limit the movement thereof. Also stops, 6, are provided to limit the movement of the casing, 8.

At the free end of the movable beam, a, an escapement device is provided consisting of a wheel, 0, having radial arms, operated by spur gearing from the recording train of the meter. The bottom of the beam, (1, at its free end is provided with a slot through whichthe arms of the wheel 0, project when in their topmost position. The part of the beam, at, beyond the wheel, 0, is so constructed as to allow the checks to fall freely into the trough, f, being guided thereto by a stop, (1. The wheel, 0, is so geared to the recording train that one check is allowed to pass into the trough, f, when the meter has delivered the quantity of electricity paid for by one com.

Referring to Fig. 1, the escapement-wheel, c, is provided with four arms of which the one in the topmost position catches a check as it rolls down the beam, a, and holdsit until the supply paid for by one coin is exhausted. If further checks have been placed in the beam, 0,, by prepayment, the nextcheck engages with the next arm of the wheel, c, and the current is not cut off until all the checks have passed the wheel, 0, in which event the beam, a, being raised by the counterbalance, e, the contact is broken. N o movement of the escapement mechanism is entailed by the movement of the beam, a. The beam, a, and trough, f, are so constructed as to allow a clear view of the checks contained in them through a transparent part which we provide in the cover of the instrument so that the consumer may easily see when it is neces sary to prepay further electricity supply.

Having now described my invention what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is a V 1.- In a prepayment meter employing coin freed checks, in combination means operated portion and contacts in the supply circuit, a receptacle adapted to receive said checks, an escapement between said controlling means and said receptacle, and means for returning said checks from said receptacle to said controlling means.

2. In a prepayment meter employing coin freed checks, in combination a fixed contact, a pivoted beam adapted to hold said checks and carrying a contact cooperating with said fixed contact to complete the supply circuit when said beam is weighted by said checks, a receptacle adapted to receive said checks, an escapement between said pivoted beam and said receptacle, and means for returning said checks from said receptacle to said pivoted beam.

3. In a prepayment meter employing coin freed checks in combination means controlling the prepaid supply operated by said checks, said means including a check carry ing portion and contacts in the supply circuit, a receptacle into which said checks pass successively as the supply represented by them is delivered and from which the checks are automatically taken and returned to said controlling means on the insertion of coins, an escapement between said controlling means and said receptacle and means for re= turning said checks from said receptacle to said controlling means.

4. In a prepayment meter employing coin freed checks in combination, means control ling the prepaid supply operated by said checks, said means including a check carrying portion and contacts in the supply circuit, a receptacle adapted to receive said checks, a check escapement including movable stops in the path of said checks and earing moving said stops to allow said chec rs to pass from said controlling means to said receptacle on the completion of the delivery of the supply represented by said checks, said escapement being independent of any movement of said controlling means and means for returning said checks from said receptacleto said controlling means.

5. In a prepayment meter employing coin freed checks in combination, means con trolling the prepaid supply operated by said checks, said means including a check carrying portion and contacts in the supply circuit, a receptacle adapted to receive said checks, an escapement between said controlling means and said receptacle, a movable pocket and means actuated by hand to move said pocket and return said checks from said receptacle to said controlling means.

6. In a prepayment electricity meter employing coin freed checks in combination, a pivoted beamcarrying acontact cooperating with a fixed contact to open and close the meter circuit, a receptacle into which the :30

checks pass successively as the amount of electricity represented by them is delivered and from which the checks are automatically taken and rendered active to deliver electricity on the insertion of coins.

7. In a prepayment electricity meter employing coin freed checks in combination, a pivoted beam carrying a contact cooperating with a fixed contact to open and close the meter circuit, a receptacle into which the checks pass successively as the amount of electricity represented by them is delivered and from which the checks are automatically taken and rendered active to deliver electricity on the insertion of coins, and a check escapement, including movable stops in the path of said checks and gearing moving said stops to allow said checks to pass from said pivoted beam to said receptacle, which is independent of any movement of said pivoted beam.

8. In a prepayment electricity meter employing coin freed checks in combination, a pivoted beam carrying a contact cooperating with a fixed contact to open and close the meter circuit, a receptacle into which the checks pass successively as the amount of electricity represented by them is delivered and from which the checks are automatically taken and rendered active to deliver electricity on the insertion of coins, a check escapement including movable stops in the path of said checks and gearing moving said stops to allow said checks to pass from said pivoted beam to said receptacle, which is independent of any movement of said pivoted beam and a movable pocket and means actuated by hand to move said pocket and return said checks from said receptacle to said movable beam.

In testimony whereof, we afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE HOOKHAM. SYDNEY HOLMWOOD HOLDEN.

lVitnesses ARTHUR BERNARD FIsHER, WILLIAM WORTON. 

